FHSU Softball No. 3 Seed For MIAA Tournament

The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) released the bracket for the MIAA Centennial Softball Tournament on Sunday evening. The tournament begins Thursday evening at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park, Kan. Fort Hays State finished the regular season 29-17 (13-7 MIAA) and secured the No. 3 seed in the tournament.

The Tigers will face the No. 6 seed Pittsburg State on Thursday evening at 6pm. The format for the tournament is double-elimination, with all eight teams that qualified guaranteed to play at least two games on Thursday evening. Pitt State finished 11-9 in the conference standings, but their seed was adjusted following a self-reported eligibility violation. Fort Hays State swept the Gorillas by scores of 5-1 and 7-5 on Saturday at Tiger Stadium in Hays.

Following that game, the Tigers will meet either No. 2 seed Missouri Western or No. 7 seed Northwest Missouri State at 8pm on Thursday evening.

FHSU has now qualified for the conference tournament in all six years since joining the conference with the No. 3 seed they have equaled the team’s best at the event. Last season, the Tigers made it to the final day of the tournament before bowing out against Nebraska-Omaha 2-1 in the championship game.

Emporia State earned the top seed for the tournament after finishing with a 20-0 conference record while Missouri Western finished second at 18-2. Final MIAA standings and matchups for the tournament are as follows:

Final 2012 MIAA Standings:
Emporia State — 20-0 (1.000); 33-9
Missouri Western — 18-2 (.900); 37-8
Fort Hays State –13-7 (.650); 29-17
Central Missouri — 9-11 (.450); 25-28
Washburn — 9-11 (.450); 18-22
Pittsburg State — 11-9 (.435*); 29-26
Northwest Missouri — 7-13 (.350); 19-29
Lincoln — 6-14 (.300); 15-34
Truman — 6-14 (.300); 22-27
Southwest Baptist — 6-14 (.300); 16-30
Missouri Southern — 5-15 (.250); 16-35

First round matchups:
Thursday, April 26
Game 1: (1) Emporia State vs. (8) Lincoln, 6 p.m.
Game 2: (4) Central Missouri vs. (5) Washburn, 6 p.m.
Game 3: (3) Fort Hays State vs. (6) Pittsburg State, 6 p.m.
Game 4: (2) Missouri Western vs. (7) NW Missouri State, 6 p.m.
Game 5: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 8 p.m.
Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 8 p.m.
Game 7: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 8 p.m.
Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 8 p.m.